Photos of the Day: Rocky Mountain National Park's fall beauty giving way to winter's fury

Trail Ridge Road, which topped our recent list of the ten best places to see Colorado fall color, has been closed for the season, and the photo above, shared on the Rocky Mountain National Park Facebook page, shows why. The photo, taken on October 18 near Medicine Bow Curve, was snapped by a ranger who skied to the area from the west side of the park and experienced six-to-eight foot drifts. But popular destinations such as Bear Lake Road, Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park and the section of Trail Ridge Road along the Kawuneeche Valley remain open and spectacular scenery remains on view, as indicated by a new album capturing the fall season in the area. Check out the images below, complete with captions and credits from the RMNP Facebook page.

Please respect the elk during their mating season and never approach a wild animal. ch (photo taken by SF 10/14/13).